


Recognition

by Onehelluvapilot



Series: Febuwhump [24]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Cage Fights, Dissociation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Head Injury, Hurt Elyan (Merlin), Hurt Gwen (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Memory Loss, Protective Elyan (Merlin), Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: Elyan and Guinevere have been kidnapped and taken to Hengist's old castle with the cage fights, but when the others arrive to rescue them, Gwen is unconscious and her brother doesn't seem to recognize any of his friends.
Relationships: Elyan & Gwaine (Merlin), Elyan & Gwen (Merlin), Elyan & Knights of the Round Table (Merlin), Elyan & Lancelot (Merlin), Elyan & Percival (Merlin)
Series: Febuwhump [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2134998
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Recognition

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by LiGi, all remaining mistakes are mine

As distressed as Arthur had been when Guinevere was kidnapped and brought to Hengist’s castle the first time, and as scared as he had been to see Lancelot and her tied up in the center of the cage and unable to defend themselves, this time was worse. She was his wife now, not just a serving girl he fancied, and she had been kidnapped along with her brother. Her brother that now stood guard over her unconscious body, or,  _ no, don’t even consider it. _ If only Elyan would lower his sword and let him past to see her. When Merlin had tried to get past him to check on the queen, the knight had practically growled at him and stepped to the side to come between the two of them. His clothes were soaked in blood that Arthur could only pray wasn’t his own, and there was not a trace of recognition in his eyes as he looked at his friends.

“Elyan, mate, it’s us. Your friends,” Gwaine said, hands raised placatingly. The man in question didn’t respond, or even react, to his words. There was a snarl affixed to his face, worsening whenever someone took even a half step forward. "We're not going to hurt you, or Gwen." When this still didn't prompt a reaction, he turned to look at Arthur and Merlin. "What's wrong with him? Is he enchanted?"

"I don't think so," the servant replied.

"It's more likely that his body and mind are just taxed beyond the point of reason," Arthur added. "I've seen it before, in other soldiers. They just get too tired and used to fighting to recognize when the danger has passed." It could happen during the length of even a short fight, but it was more common with longer battles or extended survival situations. A week, which was how long it had been since Elyan and Guinevere had been captured while on a picnic outside of Camelot, was evidently long enough for it to set in badly. The king wondered if Gwen would even be affected when she woke. If she woke. He needed to get Elyan out of the way so they could check on her.

"What do we do?" Percival asked. He was starting to look nervous himself, agitated by his friend clearly being in distress. Fighting their way through all the slavers hadn't bothered him in the least; in fact, it had been cathartic, but seeing one person he cared about scared and in pain was almost enough to bring the big knight to his knees.

"We can try to talk to him, try to disarm him, or simply wait for him to collapse," Leon laid out the options. Now that he pointed it out, they could all see that Elyan was shaking. His legs were planted wide apart for stability, his sword held up but in both hands, as if he barely had the strength to raise it. It probably wouldn't be long until he no longer posed a threat and they could get safely around him to Gwen, but then again, with his stubbornness and desperation, it could be longer than they could safely wait. Guinevere needed attention  _ now _ . Arthur's hand clenched in frustration around his sword, and instantly Elyan’s eyes were on him. He might've been oblivious to their words and identities, but he was clearly hyper-aware of their movements and the threat that they could pose.

"Percival, Gwaine, you take his right side, Lancelot and I will take the left.  _ Don't _ hurt him, at all costs, but get his sword away from him. Leon and Merlin, see if you can get past us to Gwen. If he reacts to that though, stop and get to the side of the cage out of the way." This direction was clearly meant for Merlin, but Leon nodded as well. Carefully, the king and the other knights approached their friend, swords out but not raised. They only brought them to defend themselves if Elyan lashed out, not to land any blows themself.

"Elyan, listen to me," Arthur said firmly when the knight started to get more agitated, raising his sword and baring his teeth viciously. Was this how cage fights always were? The king had a hard time reconciling this snarling, bloody image of his friend with the dignified front he usually put up. "It's us. Your friends. We aren't going to hurt you, or Gwen. We're here to help."

Whether his words would have worked was unclear, as Gwaine stepped into sword range and Elyan struck out at him. Normally, as sparring partners, the smaller knight knew enough not to let his blade into the position where the rogue could twist it away, but as he didn't recognize them this time, he didn't know how to avoid it. Lancelot caught the blade when it went flying, and now that the man was disarmed, Arthur darted forward to grab his arms.

He wasn’t prepared for Elyan to fight dirty and ram his knee up into his crotch, or to slam his head forward into his chin. Letting go instinctively, he stumbled back, but thankfully Percival had jumped in to grab the smaller knight from behind. He wrapped him in a bear hug and pulled him close to his chest, tucking his head underneath his chin and squeezing his arms tight to his sides. Elyan practically screamed in apparent frustration as he struggled and squirmed to try to get free, and the sound was horrifying in its bare desperation. Eventually, finally, he started to go still. Leon worried it was a ruse, to try to get them to let down their guard, before he let his eyes close and his body go limp.

“Percy?” Elyan whispered, so hopeful he almost sounded reverent.

"Yeah, it's me, you're okay."

"Oh, so he doesn't recognize us at all by sight, but he knows Percival from two seconds of having his arms around him?" Gwaine teased gently.

"Like you wouldn't be the same way," the big knight retorted playfully. He released his bear hug on Elyan in favor of picking him up bridal-style to carry out of the cage. 

Realizing that the danger with the disoriented fighter was over, Arthur quickly turned to where Merlin and Leon were tending to his wife. "Gwen," he said softly, kneeling down beside her. She had a bump on her forehead, but other than that she didn’t appear injured.

“I think she’ll be okay,” Merlin assured him. “Her breathing and pulse are steady.”

“Thank Heavens,” Arthur breathed. He picked her up carefully, with Merlin helping to support her head until he could lean it against the king’s shoulder. Carrying her out of the cage, he noticed Elyan had been carefully sat down on a bench, with Gwaine sitting on one side of him and Lancelot on the other. He held tight to each of their hands, but let go and quickly stood up when he saw Gwen. His legs buckled under him and Lancelot was just barely fast enough to pull him against his hip with a hand around his waist and keep him from collapsing. Gwaine jumped up to brace his other side, and Percival looked on nervously.

“Is she okay?” Elyan asked, reaching out towards his sister.

“She’ll be fine,” Merlin reassured him. “I’ll tend to both of you when we get outside.” The group of knights had killed the leader of the kidnapping ring and his right and left hand men, and scared off most of the other mercenaries and such they had hired, but it would be best to be safely away with the incapacitated queen and the king’s brother-in-law before they had the chance to come back. Gwaine and Lancelot pulled Elyan’s arms around their shoulders to help him walk as they followed Arthur towards the castle’s exit. Leon, Merlin, and Percival stayed on the lookout for potential enemies, but thankfully they encountered none and reached the horses safely. Gwen had even begun to wake up, though her brother was gradually becoming less coherent.

“Lancelot, can you check him for any head injuries?” Merlin instructed as they set up camp. Elyan was conscious, but by this point extremely disoriented, and he kept asking them what had happened, where they were, and, most disturbingly, when they were going to make him fight again. The picture was slowly becoming clear to Lancelot and Gwaine especially; the kidnappers had been throwing him in the cage for a number of fights, not just the one right before they’d rescued them.

“Don’t hurt Gwen,” Elyan mumbled as Lancelot carefully ran his fingers over his thick hair, searching for any bumps or cuts. He winced when he found blood over his left temple. “Please, I’ll do what you want, just don’t hurt Gwen.”

“No one’s going to hurt your sister, it’s alright,” Gwaine tried to soothe him. As the two knights had both been cage fighters themselves, they were the best able to understand what Elyan was feeling and calm him down. Later, when the knight was more aware, they’d talk to him more about the fighting and try to offer their support as he worked through the trauma of it, but for now he needed their help remembering that he was safe more than anything. Gwaine was patient, as he so rarely was, and kept gently reminding him who they were and that Gwen was safe, while Lancelot gently cleaned the cut on the side of his head. It wasn’t deep, thank goodness, but there was a bad goose-egg under it. Whatever blow had caused it was enough to explain his confusion, especially coupled with the situation.

“I wanna see her,” Elyan demanded, fighting free of Gwaine’s grasp on his arms. Fortunately, Gwen herself was awake now, though just as disoriented. Percival helped her brother over to her, and instantly the two siblings threw their arms around each other and refused to let go. They would be alright with some sleep, Merlin assured everyone, and let them lie down and snuggle close together as they drifted off.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear what you think of it!


End file.
